Ma Su announces launch of several child health schemes inaugurated at ICH

CHENNAI: Health Minister Ma Subramanian announced the launch of several child health schemes that were announced in the assembly for the year 2023-24 on Thursday.

Six facilities were inaugurated at the Institute of Child Health.

A Newborn Stabilization Unit (NBSU) at an Urban Community Health Centre (UCHC) in Adyar. The healthcare facility serves as the first referral unit to provide basic stabilization and feeding support to babies delivered at the facility. It also provides medical care to sick and newborn babies referred to the facilities from other healthcare facilities.

Three more NBSUs are planned to be set up in Urban Community Health Centres functioning in Greater Chennai Corporation at Emergency Obstetric Care Centres in Perumalpet, Saidapet, and Shenoy Nagar with equipment at a total cost of Rs 20.40 lakhs each.

ரூபாய் 21.53 கோடி மதிப்பீட்டில் குழந்தைகள் நலத்திட்டங்கள் எழும்பூர் குழந்தைகள் நல மருத்துவமனையில் தொடங்கி வைக்கப்பட்டது. #Masubramanian #TNHealthminister #DMK4TN pic.twitter.com/tzhXfBVrvt

— Subramanian.Ma (@Subramanian_ma) January 18, 2024

Meanwhile, an upgraded Genetic Lab was inaugurated at the Genetic Department of the Institute of Child Health, Egmore. The lab will enable genetic testing and genomic analysis at an affordable cost for patients with Genetic disease and rare disorders.

The Health minister said that a Home Based Young Child Care will be implemented in all the districts by Anganwadi workers to continuously monitor the welfare of children up to the age of two years. A software to monitor the programme has been launched on Thursday.

As part of the programme, Anganwadi workers will follow up the low birth weight newborn and sick newborn discharged from the special newborn care unit. The anganwadi workers will be provided incentives at the rate of Rs 250 per child up to two years for five visits.

A laminar air flow equipment to keep donated milk samples safe from contamination at the breast milk banks has been provided to the Comprehensive Lactation Management Unit at Institute of Child Health. The minister inaugurated the facility and said that the facility will create a safe environment for the samples before lab testing.

A high frequency oscillatory ventilator was also provided to the Institute. A Developmental Assessment Scale for Indian Infants (DASII) kits at a cost of Rs 11.75 lakhs was provided to 39 District Early Intervention Centres during the event. The health minister also inspected the Bone Marrow Transplant Unit at the hospital which is being constructed at a cost of Rs 2.56 crores.